Tomorrow brings the theatrical premiere of Free Guy, which isn’t technically a video game movie, but owes a great deal to console favorites past, present, and potentially future. There’s a recurring notion that the genre’s best films aren’t based on a pre-existing property at all, and having been certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with what currently ranks as the highest score for any video game-inspired blockbuster ever made, it’s a solid argument.
Based on the reactions so far, leading man and producer Ryan Reynolds hasn’t just delivered the most pleasant surprise of the summer and the best film yet from director Shawn Levy, but a genuinely inventive and original slice of popcorn escapism that’s packed to bursting points with nods, winks, Easter Eggs and references drawn from the entire pop culture pantheon.
To capitalize on the video game connections, a new series of posters have been released that position Reynolds’ title hero as the star of some classic titles dating back decades including Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Doom, Street Fighter II, Super Mario 64, Minecraft, and Among Us, which you can check out below.
Free Guy was always going to have a marketing campaign worth keeping an eye on, given that Reynolds owns his own award-winning advertising agency and Deadpool made his surprise Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in a breakdown of the most recent trailer. The key creatives have stressed that Free Guy isn’t technically a video game movie, but they’re clearly looking to draw in that crowd based on the latest batch of one-sheets designed to drum up even more hype and anticipation. Ahead of a big screen bow that’s now less than 24 hours away, it’s a wise move.
